(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a heat generator for use in a room heater, water boiler, drier, etc.
(2) Prior Art
The conventional heat generators are metal wires such as nichrome wire and kanthal wire in a coiled state or encased in tubes such as a metallic tube, a quartz tube and ceramic tube, or further the tubes coated with cordierite, clay or glass, or a highly far infrared radiation material such as nickel oxide, iron oxide, etc., and ceramic heaters containing an electric resistor in sintered ceramics, etc. In room heaters, water boilers and driers, materials are heated by the heat generator through heat conduction, convection and radiation, for example, by direct heating from the heat generator, forced air blowing to the heat generator by a fan to generate heated air, or by providing a reflection heating.
However, the conventional heat generator has the following problems.
In case of room heating with an electric stove, the heat generator heats air in the room and also heats cigarette smoke or smells suspended in the room. Generally, the higher the temperature, the more sensitive to human noses are to the smelly components. Furthermore, the smelly components once adsorbed on the structural material or furnitures in the room are again vaporized and suspended in the room atmosphere. Since the conventional heat generator can not purify the smelling components, smells are often more sensitive when an electric stove is used in the room than when not. Such a phenomenon has been a problem.